Idiopathic isolated annular dilatation causing congenital mitral regurgitation

Isolated annular dilatation is an extremely uncommon cause of congenital mitral regurgitation. We report a case of a 5-year-old child with idiopathic isolated annular dilatation causing severe congenital mitral regurgitation

Re-use of Plastic Products–Materials Perspective

Environmental pollution by plastic waste is causing a major issue around the world. In this article, focus was given on the re-use of plastics to minimize or prevent the plastic waste. First, the plastic materials are classified based on the origin, functional characteristics and recycling characteristics. A general overview on the rationale for using plastic and the pollutions caused by the plastic products are provided. Some data related to the production of plastic are presented to give an idea about the scale. Plastic waste management strategies are briefly discussed. Finally, the importance of re-using plastic and how circular economy can play a vital role in re-using plastic materials are discussed

Mathematical Modeling of Driving Forces of an Electric Vehicle for Sustainable Operation

Increasing greenhouse gases & air pollution are a global threat. Global forums are aggressively emphasizing on reducing the dependence on non-renewable resources. Battery Electric vehicle are among the initial initiative to reduce dependency on fossil fuels, and this demands more research to understand the energy requirements of a vehicle under different driving conditions. The performance of an Electric Vehicle depends on varying drive conditions and the Power Electronic Controller is primarily responsible for its sustainable operation. In this paper, a novel mathematical model is proposed to analyze the performance of an electric vehicle under different driving conditions. The model is simulated at different driving speeds keeping other longitudinal, lateral, and vertical parameters fixed. Rolling resistance forces, aerodynamic drag force, gradient force, total driving force, driving torque, and power requirements at different speeds have been calculated under standard driving conditions. The rolling resistance increases by 2.16 times with a change in the vehicle speed from 40 kmph to 120 kmph. The aerodynamic drag force increases ten times with a 10-degree gradient. The battery operating temperature is critical in vehicular performance, a hybrid Pneumatic-Liquid Thermal Management System is proposed to maintain battery operating temperature. Performance of the proposed model is simulated and found to be in line with the existing standards. This study concludes that road conditions, tyre pressure, velocity of travel, wind velocity, and temperature significantly influence the performance of an electric vehicle

Materials Design Rules for Multivalent Ion Mobility in Intercalation Structures

The diffusion of ions in solid materials plays an important role in many aspects of materials science such as the geological evolution of minerals, materials synthesis, and in device performance across several technologies. For example, the realization of multivalent (MV) batteries, which offer a realistic route to superseding the electrochemical performance of Li-ion batteries, hinges on the discovery of host materials that possess adequate mobility of the MV intercalant to support reasonable charge and discharge times. This has proven especially challenging, motivating the current investigation of ion mobility (Li⁺, Mg²⁺, Zn²⁺, Ca²⁺, and Al³⁺) in spinel Mn₂O₄, olivine FePO₄, layered NiO₂, and orthorhombic δ-V₂O₅. In this study, we not only quantitatively assess these structures as candidate cathode materials, but also isolate the chemical and structural descriptors that govern MV diffusion. Our finding that matching the intercalant site preference to the diffusion path topology of the host structure controls mobility more than any other factor leads to practical and implementable guidelines to find fast-diffusing MV ion conductors

“Real impact”: Challenges and opportunities in bridging the gap between research and practice – Making a difference in industry, policy, and society

Achieving impact from academic research is a challenging, complex, multifaceted, and interconnected topic with a number of competing priorities and key performance indicators driving the extent and reach of meaningful and measurable benefits from research. Academic researchers are incentivised to publish their research in high-ranking journals and academic conferences but also to demonstrate the impact of their outputs through metrics such as citation counts, altmetrics, policy and practice impacts, and demonstrable institutional decision-making influence. However, academic research has been criticized for: its theoretical emphasis, high degree of complexity, jargon-heavy language, disconnect from industry and societal needs, overly complex and lengthy publishing timeframe, and misalignment between academic and industry objectives. Initiatives such as collaborative research projects and technology transfer offices have attempted to deliver meaningful impact, but significant barriers remain in the identification and evaluation of tangible impact from academic research. This editorial focusses on these aspects to deliver a multi-expert perspective on impact by developing an agenda to deliver more meaningful and demonstrable change to how “impact” can be conceptualized and measured to better align with the aims of academia, industry, and wider society. We present the 4D model - Design, Deliver, Disseminate, and Demonstrate - to provide a structured approach for academia to better align research endeavors with practice and deliver meaningful, tangible benefits to stakeholders

“Real impact”: challenges and opportunities in bridging the gap between research and practice – making a difference in industry, policy, and society

Achieving impact from academic research is a challenging, complex, multifaceted, and interconnected topic with a number of competing priorities and key performance indicators driving the extent and reach of meaningful and measurable benefits from research. Academic researchers are incentivised to publish their research in high-ranking journals and academic conferences but also to demonstrate the impact of their outputs through metrics such as citation counts, altmetrics, policy and practice impacts, and demonstrable institutional decision-making influence. However, academic research has been criticized for: its theoretical emphasis, high degree of complexity, jargon-heavy language, disconnect from industry and societal needs, overly complex and lengthy publishing timeframe, and misalignment between academic and industry objectives. Initiatives such as collaborative research projects and technology transfer offices have attempted to deliver meaningful impact, but significant barriers remain in the identification and evaluation of tangible impact from academic research. This editorial focusses on these aspects to deliver a multi-expert perspective on impact by developing an agenda to deliver more meaningful and demonstrable change to how “impact” can be conceptualized and measured to better align with the aims of academia, industry, and wider society. We present the 4D model - Design, Deliver, Disseminate, and Demonstrate - to provide a structured approach for academia to better align research endeavors with practice and deliver meaningful, tangible benefits to stakeholders.</p